Israel says new missile shield looks good

JERUSALEM, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The Iron Dome, a short-range Israeli missile-defense system to fend off rockets from the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, looks good in tests, officials say.

Israel said Wednesday the tests over the past few days boosted the possibility the defense could neutralize or severely weaken the ability of Hamas and Hezbollah to launch successful missile strikes at the Jewish state. It is expected to be fully operational in May.

However, after the announcement, Hamas in Gaza appeared to answer on Thursday by firing at least 10 mortar shells at Israel, the Christian Science Monitor reported.

The Iron Dome is designed to target the weapons of Israel's most significant regional enemies, including Hamas's mortar shells and Qassam rockets, and Hezbollah's Katyusha rockets and Iranian-made Fajr rockets.

Officials said one of the advantages of the Iron Dome system is that it can distinguish worthwhile targets (those headed for a populated area) from those destined to land in an open field.

Shorter-range missiles have become an ongoing threat to Israeli security, authorities said.

The Iron Dome can neutralize rockets with a range between 2.5 miles and 50 miles. That would cover most of the rockets fired from Gaza into Israel, as well as those from southern Lebanon.